Page 98 of Revenge Puck

“What are you talking about?” I ask, caught off-guard by the sudden change of topic. One second, we were talking about her and Riley and now she brings in my sister and the asshole?

“Did you convince her to keep Christian away?” Elle repeats.

“Maya didn’t want anything to do with the prick after he gave her some money to make it all go away.”

“He said he tried to call her, text her, wanted to see her and go with her to the doctor, but you wouldn’t let him near her. He claimed he wrote her handwritten love letters.”

“That’s bullshit. There were no fucking love letters. He probably can’t even spell his own name.”

“Why would he lie?”

“Look, Elle, no offense, but this all happened years ago, and you weren’t there. Maya was a freshman in college. She had just turned nineteen, for fuck’s sake. She was devastated to be pregnant, to have our parents and Riley abandon her. I did everything I could to stop her from completely falling apart.”

“And you don’t think letting Christian be there during the pregnancy and after would’ve maybe helped her more than his absence hurt her?”

“Hell no! Riley is a selfish asshole. He only cares about himself. You know that better than anyone! That son of a bitch didn’t waste time signing a contract and leaving town, either. He didn’t give a shit about Maya.”

“I know that you feel guilty, that you blame yourself for introducing Christian and Maya, for trusting him to be careful with her.”

“I regret that every single day.”

“Do you think Maya regrets it, though?”

“Of course she does! He ruined her life. Dropping out of school was nothing compared to what she dealt with at home.”

“I know. You told me it was bad with your parents. And I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for her and for you.”

Choosing between my judgmental parents and my sister who needed me, was easy. I don’t regret it, even if it means shouldering the burden to make sure Maya and Finley have whatever they need.

“Like I said, between Riley bailing and our parents disowning her, Maya was a distraught mess, panicking to try to figure out how to be a single mother. She had to give up everything, all her hopes and dreams. I did what I had to do to take care of her. I’m just lucky that I went to the pros before she had Finley.”

“You’re an amazing brother, Preston. They’re lucky to have you looking out for them.”

“I’m the only one who has ever looked out for them, so I sure as shit wasn’t going to let Riley hurt them. He was my best friend. I knew him better than anyone else. He wasn’t ready to settle down then and probably never will be. All he talked about was going pro, the money and women it would mean.”

“You’re right,” Elle says with a sigh. “I’m sorry I brought it up. Can we please just try to calm down and go to lunch?”

“Yeah, cupcake. Let’s go eat something,” I agree, even though my blood pressure is still sky high.

And after what felt like a heated argument with Elle, I scrap my plan to tell her about California.

I’ll tell her tonight, after the Warhawks win the championship.

Or tomorrow, since I don’t want to ruin the celebration.

Definitely tomorrow.

Elle

I can’t even begin to understand the situation Preston and Maya were in when she got pregnant so young. Even if Preston had to work two or three jobs, he would’ve done it for her and his nephew.

So, while I want to give Christian the benefit of the doubt, I let it go.

It’s none of my business. I’m not the one who kept a roof over their head and made sure they were fed after their parents kicked her out.

“I hate that you both went through all that with Christian,” I tell Preston on the walk back to the salon from our mostly silent lunch. “But you don’t have anything to worry about when it comes to me and him. You believe me, don’t you?”

When he hesitates with his reply, I know I’m not going to like it. “I’m still not convinced that you’re completely over him. I think you’re getting there…”

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